Surgical tub



1947- c. L. GRABER 2,426,303

SURGICAL TUB Filed July 5, 1945 INVENTOR. /-2

BYCH/liii/JN L. GRRBER V {m Z/MM saw/M H TTORNEYS Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for applying a liquid to a part of the body of a person and maintaining the liquid applied at a desired temperature.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved, simple, inexpensive and handy medical appliance or tub for bathing and/or medicating a part of a persons body, which appliance comprises convenient means for maintaining the liquid employed at a desired temperature.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved medical appliance or tub of the character referred to adapted to be used with a conventional water closet and comprising an oval-shaped, bowl-like body portion adapted to contain the liquid to be applied to the body and having an outwardly extending flange adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the water closet bowl or upon the upper surface of the seat, and including handy means for maintaining the liquid in the bowl-like body portion at a desired temperature.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved faucet connection having an overflow means incorporated therein so as to avoid the building up of excessive pressure in-a conduit connected thereto in the event the conduit is closed.

The invention resides in certain novel constructions and combinations and arrangements of parts and further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a water closet having a liquid applying device, hereinafter referred to as the appliance, embodying the present invention in position thereon and operatively connected to the water faucet of a conventional bathroom'lavatory;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the bowl part of the water closet shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the appliance shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the faucet connection shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and r Fig. 6 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-45 of Fig. 5 and showing the manner in which the faucet connection is attached to the faucet.

The appliance of the present invention is in the nature of a treatment aide and is intended primarily for the treatment of skin, rectal and vaginal ailments, etc., by the application of hot liquid to the affected part of the body and is intended to be used in connection with a water closet, however, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that the appliance may be otherwise employed and is equally applicable to the application of cold as Well as hot liquids to the body.

Referring to the drawings, the appliance proper, designated generally by the reference character A, comprises a bowl-like body portion [0, elliptical or oval-shaped in plan or horizontal crosssection, and adapted to fit within the bowl ll of a water closet, designated generally by the reference character B. The body portion ID of the appliance A has an outwardly extending supporting flange l2 formed integral with the upper edge thereof by means of which the appliance is adapted to be supported upon the upper surface of the top rim I3 of the bowl I l of the water closet B. Alternatively the appliance A may be supported in a similar manner upon the seat of the water closet.

The liquid to be applied to the body, which liquid may be either plain water or a medical solution, is placed Within the bowl l0 and for the purpose of maintaining the same at a desired temperature, a rectangularly-shaped member 14 is fixed to the exterior of the bowl so as to enclose a portion thereof, to which member hot or cold Water is supplied, as desired. The member I4 is so constructed that it overflows into the bowl H of the water closet B. As shown, the bowl Ill and flange I2 are formed integral or as a onepiece metal stamping and the member I4 is also made of a similar box-like stamping welded, as at the points I5, to the'exterior of the bowl [0. The rectangular shape of the member l4 provides openings at the corners which serve as overflow apertures and as an entrance for the lower end of a delivery conduit C for supplying hot or cold water to the member. The appliance proper is preferably enameled or otherwise provided with a suitable finish.

The person or patient to whom the liquid is to be applied sits upon the appliance with his or her buttocks extending into the liquid. Accordingly the device is shaped so as to be as comfortable as possible consistent with other requirements. When a person is seated upon the appliance, the liquid in the bowl preferably substantially fills the bowl and in the event excessive solution is initially placed within the bowl [0, provision is made for its overflow into the toilet bowl II by forming openings or slots IS in the flange l2 at both the front and rear ends of the device, which openings extend downwardly into the body portion ID a short distance.

Alternatively, the overflow apertures for the excess liquid in the bowl l may be formed solely in the side walls of the bowl portion adjacent to the flange l2, but, many event; the apertures are preferably located at both the front and the rear of the device because if they are otherwise located, in all probability, they will be closed as the person sits upon the appliance. In addition to forming overflow apertures for the liquid contained in the bowl portion of the appliance, the slots l6 afford an aperture or apertures through which the conduit C extends when the appliance A is positioned upon the closet bowl ll.

While hot or cold water, as desired, may be continuously or intermittently supplied to the member. M in any convenient manner, it is preferablysupp-lied thereto by the conduit C,.previously referred to, which conduit comprises a flexible tube I! provided at its,,.upper end with a faucet, connection, designated generally by the reference character D, through the medium of which the conduit is adapted to be connected to a faucet [8 of a conventional bathroom lavatory .The faucet connection D shown comprises a conically-shaped flexible member 20 having a plurality of longitudinally extending,,internal ribs 2| which form grooves 22 in the interior of thememberZfl. When the faucet connection D is applied to a faucet, the grooves 22 form av continuous passage between the interiorof the member '28 and atmosphere.

The construction ofthe faucetconnectionD is such that it is impossible to build up excessive pressure in the conduit C by closing the opening through the tube I! because in this event the water flowing through the faucet will overflow into'the lavatorythrough the grooves or passages 22. The conical construction of the faucet connection permits itto be applied to faucets of differentsize by merely folding the upper end back upon itself until an aperture of the desired size is obtained to fit the particular faucet'which it is desired to use.

Assuming that a hot solution is to be applied to the body, hot water is s pplied through the conduit C-to the member M. For this purpose the conduit is attached to a hot water faucet, in which event the temperature of the solution can -be readily controlled by the patient regulating the flow of water through the conduitby-restricting the flow therethrough either by merely'pinching the tube l1 between his or her fingers or by the use of a conventional hose clamp'23. If a combination-hot and cold water faucet is available and is within reach of the patient, the temperature of the solution can be regulated by controlling thetemperature of the water supplied to the conduit.

Because of the. impossibility of building up excessive pressurein the conduit C, the same'can be used without danger as a vaginal douche'by merely attaching a suitable douche nozzle to the end of the conduit other than the end provided with the faucet connectionD and by connecting the conduit to a combination faucet.

While; the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described inconsiderable. detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates thatthe invention is not limited to the particular construction shown,

for example, the member l4 may be shaped differently from that shown; the essential requirement being that it should form a water jacket on the outside of the body portion I0 for maintaining the solution therein at a desired temperature; the flexible conduit may be connected to the water jacket in any suitable manner as by the provision of a suitable nipple or hose connection, etc. It is my intention to hereby cover all adaptations, modifications and uses :of the appliance shown and described which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim. is:

: fit within the bowl of a water closet, an outwardly extending supporting flange formed integral with the upper edge of said body portion, and a member fixed to the exterior of said body portion and enclosing a part thereof, said-member being adapted to receive liquid andhaving an overflow outlet located above the bottom thereof.

-2. A medical appliance comprising anovalshaped bodyportion adapted to hold liquid and fit ,within the bowl of a water closet, an integral outwardly extending supporting flange at the upper edge of said body portion adapted to rest upon the upper part of a water closet, an overflow. aperture in said body portion adjacent to said flange, and a member fixed to the exterior of said body portion and enclosing a part thereof, said member being adapted to receive liquid and .havingan overflow outlet located above the bottom thereof through which liquid admitted thereto may overflow.

3. A medical appliance comprising an ovalshaped-body portion adapted to holdliquid and fit within the bowl of awater closet, an outwardly extending supporting flange at the upper edge of the body portion adapted to rest .upon the, upper part of a water closet, a member fixed t0 the exterior of said body portion and enclosing apart thereof, and a conduit adapted tobe operatively connected to a water faucet for supplying water to said member, said member having an overflow outlet located above. the bottom thereof through which liquid admitted to said membermay overflow.

A. A medical appliance comprising an ovalshaped body portion adapted to hold liquid and fit within. the. bowl of .a water closet, anoutwardly extending supporting flange at the upper edge of the body portion adapted to rest upon the upper. part of a water closet, a member, fixed to the exterior of said body portion and enclosinga part thereof, said body portion having overflow aperturesatopposite ends located adjacent to said flange, and a flexible conduit operatively connected to said member and adapted to be connected to a water faucet,-said member. havin an overflow. outletlocated abovethe bottom thereof through whichliquid admitted to said member may overflow.

5. In a medical appliancefor use-in applying a liquid to a part of the bodyof a :person, the combination of an oval-shaped body :portion adapted to contain liquid andrfitwithin the bowl ing supporting flange-at the upper ,edge of '1 the body portion adapted to rest upon the upper part of a water closet, a member fixed to the exterior of said body portion and enclosing a part thereof, said body portion having overflow apertures at opposite ends which apertures extend up into said flange, a flexible conduit adapted to project through one of said apertures when said appliance is positioned on a water closet and be operatively connected to said member, and a faucet connection on the opposite end of said conduit formed of a conically-shaped flexible element having internal longitudinal extending grooves, said member having an overflow outlet located above the bottom thereof through which liquid admitted to said member may overflow into the water closet.

6. A faucet connection formed of a conicallyshaped flexible member having a longitudinally extending internal groove.

7. A faucet connection formed of a conicallyshaped resilient member adapted to engage over the end of a faucet, said member having a longitudinally extending internal groove whereby it CHRISTIAN LEE GRABER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,681,838 Conklin Aug. 21, 1928 1,894,711 Schacht Jan. 17, 1933 1,939,204 Conklin Dec. 12, 1933 2,036,985 Salvoni Apr. '7, 1936 

